Olympia is the capital of thenstate of Washington and largest city of Thurston County. It is 60 miles (100 km) southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. Olympia is known for being a cultural hub, center of state government, and a popular destination for travelers on their way to the ocean. Olympia has a wide array of public parks and nature conservation areas. The area was historically dependent on on artesian waters (a confined aquifer containing pressurized groundwater). Olympia is also a regional center for fine arts. Notable art venues near Olympia include Art in Ecology, housed in Washington Department of Ecology's 322,000-square-foot, three-story building on the campus of Saint Martin's University. Art in Ecology is a long-established art-in-the-workplace venue that has works by numerous northwest artists.
